Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice
by easyl0ve
Summary: Katarina and her two 'sisters' battle against the odds in a world filled with vampires. They search for vengeance, but Bubbles might just stumble upon something else in their quest. Can a bit of sugar, and spice, and everything nice help turn the tides in the nighttime war? And will Bubbles be able to resist her feelings for everyone's favorite techie/stoner? HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! Well, I was rewatching the Blade Trilogy so naturally I got this idea. Plus, any man who can play a betrayer with poor fashion sense and still be somehow sexy is like, attractiveness personified. Besides, I was trying to find a good Scud fic, and nothing really hit the mark for me, so I just had to do my take on this. I hope you like it, and please review and follow if you do. :)**

Chapter 1:

"Sugar!" I heard a yell from downstairs, "Bloss says we need to go over the game plan!"

"Be down in a minute!" I yelled back, checking my pigtails in the dirty mirror one last time. Once I'd deemed myself adorable enough I made my way down the cold metal stairs. Even if our home wasn't the normal white picket fence dream, I still loved it just the same. None of us had known normal for years, and we weren't exactly a normal family to begin with. No, we were something much more fun. The condemned warehouse had become our safe zone due to Blossom's various gadgets and computer systems. She managed to make the place impenetrable, get us free electricity and cable, and MacGyver us up a working bathroom with a nice tub and everything! And in a world infested with all the things that go bump in the night what else would three young girls want but a safe place to stay.

"Finally," Blossom said once she saw me, still setting various weapons on the table, "So here's the plan. The club is thirty or so minutes from here."

"I say we shoot our way in and clean house," Sarah smiled holding up one of the guns.

"No," Blossom snatched the gun from her hands, "We need to do this right." She set the gun down and looked over to me, "We send in Bubbles with this," she held up a long necklace with a strange looking pendant.

"What's that?" I leaned closer to it to get a better look.

"This is a UV bomb."

I reached out and touched it, "But it's so tiny?"

"Why does Bubbles get to go in?" Buttercup huffed.

"Because they wont suspect her."

"So that's it, just send her in and she dusts the place. Then we leave? We don't even get to bust in any skulls?"

"No Buttercup," she shook her head causing her bright red ponytail to swing behind her, "She dusts and then we come in and take care of the familiars."

"That's what I'm talking about it," a smile spread across my sister's face.

"Let's get ready." I watched as my substitute sisters readied themselves for another night of slaying leaches.

I still remembered the day we met, just over ten years ago. My parents had been killed by vampires while I was hiding under their bed. I was only twelve, I couldn't have done anything to protect them. I couldn't do much except listen as they were ripped apart above me. Two days later I was dropped off at an orphanage by my aunt. She didn't want anything to do with me, and I didn't want anything to do with her. She'd always been mean to me ever since I could remember, and I didn't really want to live with her in her smelly house anyway. I remember telling the police that vampires killed my parents, and how they just laughed. Everyone laughed when I told them about the vampires. Everyone except one girl named Rebecca Henderson and another one named Sarah Sanchez. They both had the same thing happen to their families. They both believed me. The very night we met we made a pact, to hunt down the things that took our parents away. To keep what happened to us from happening to anyone else. From then on we were inseparable. When Rebecca turned 17 we all ran away to start our crusade. Sarah was 15 then, and I was still just 12. It took a year for us to understand exactly what we had gotten ourselves into. And in two more we were good at it, but no matter how much I practiced sparing and shooting most of the time they'd have me drive the getaway car. At 15 I was still too young. I didn't waste that time though; I spent the hours listening to those silly Teach Yourself books-on-tape for foreign languages. By the time they finally let me go with them I was fluent in eight different languages. About three years ago, on one of the few nights we took off, I was sitting on the couch watching a marathon of _The Powerpuff Girls_. Eventually they both sat and watched with me and then we became the sisters we always kind of knew we were. We adopted our new names and commemorated them the next day with a visit to Sarah's tattoo guy. Me, Katarina Bartome, the blonde-haired blue-eyed baby of the group, and cutest of our trio became Bubbles. The word "SUGAR" was tattooed across my back in between my shoulder blades to signify the name change. Sarah Sanchez, with her bobbed jet-black hair and irrational love of violence and the color green, became Buttercup. The word 'SPICE' was inked across her back just like mine. Finally, our fearless leader Rebecca Henderson, with her hair dyed the brightest of reds and her technical genius, became Blossom. The words "EVERYTHING NICE" marked her as ours marked us. It might have been cheesy, but it solidified something for us. It made us realize just what we were to each other. We were sisters. And we were going to save the world.

"How do I look?" Blossom turned around so I could assess her outfit.

"Lethal and gorgeous, just like always."

"This isn't supposed to be a beauty pageant," Buttercup harrumphed past us and to the car.

I put on the weaponized necklace, "Hey Blossom?"

"Yes?" she looked up from checking her boots.

"This necklace is totally… tha bomb!" I giggled at her as she put her palm to her forehead.

"I should've known you'd say that and made it a bracelet," she grabbed the keys from the table and stood next to me. "To activate it you push this right here. I'd hold it up in the center of the room to get the most of them, that would work best."

"Will do, sister," I skipped to the car and took my place in the middle of the back seat.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Skilled Actor

"Kat, what's wrong?" I looked up to see Sarah walking into my room. Why did she have to be here now? Couldn't she just leave me alone like she normally did?

"Nothing," I tried to straighten myself up and hide the steady stream of tears that had been pouring from my eyes, "Nothing's wrong, I just need a break is all."

She sat beside me, and her voice turned uncharacteristically soft, "You can tell me, you know." I couldn't keep the tears from coming; I couldn't calm the heaving of my chest, "I promise I won't give you a hard time about it, whatever it is."

"It's just," I didn't want to tell her. I'd been so strong, it was the only thing I had going for me. All I had was my forced cheerfulness. Without that what use did they have for me? I looked at her and the words came out, " I can't remember what they look like anymore." The second I said it aloud was the second I lost it. I hunched over and pulled myself to my legs. "I know she had blonde hair like mine. I know that he'd give me piggyback rides. But I just can't picture their faces anymore," the snot and the sobs made my speech unclear.

"Don't worry," she patted my back a couple times, "It's okay."

Something about her words boiled in me. The faces in my head, the faces in the memories of my parents, they were blank now. I yelled through the slobber, "No it's not! I don't have any pictures like you two do. I don't have a family. I don't have anything anymore."

"What's going on in here?" I heard Rebecca come into my room. Damn. Couldn't I just be alone? Couldn't they just let me feel this for myself?

Sarah spoke for me, "She says she can't remember what her mom and dad look like anymore."

"Oh," I felt the bed dip as Rebecca sat beside me. I couldn't stop my weeping. All I could do was let it out of me as she rubbed my back.

"We can't go out there if she's like this. She'll get us killed."

"No," I looked up at Sarah with my swollen eyes narrowed, then turned to Rebecca, "I won't, I swear."

She just continued to rub my back, "We'll take tonight off, how does that sound?"

"No," I hit her arm off of me. I didn't want to stay in. I wanted bloodshed. "They did this to me. They took them away. Now they need to pay."

"And they will another night. Tonight we need to relax." Her voice was so kind then, just like it had been when we met, "It's been a while since we've taken a day off anyway."

I nodded at her. "Can I just," I wiped some of the tears off of my face, "Can I just have a few minutes?"

"Of course," the two of them got up, "We'll be downstairs if you need us."

I wouldn't need them. I don't need anyone. I don't need anything. I fell back into my pillow and continued to think of what I'd lost.

-o0o-

"She feels alone," Rebecca glanced over at the figure on the couch at the other side of the warehouse. Katarina was curled up in a tight ball, wrapped in a blanket, eyes still red from earlier.

"You think I don't know that," Sarah took a quick look at her fallen friend, but winced away.

"I mean, at least we have something to remember ours by," she subconsciously twirled the locket in her hands as she spoke, still making fast peaks at the couch, "What else did she say?"

"She said she doesn't have a family."

She got her trademarked wrinkle in her forehead as she thought, "What should we do?"

The black-haired girl tilted her head in confusion, "We need to do something?"

"We can't just leave her like this," she grimaced, "You see how she looks."

Sarah nodded for a while. When she did finally speak she was still recalling past presumptions of Katarina, which left her with a reflective tone, "She seemed so fine with it until now."

Rebecca shook her head, "I don't think she wanted us to see. Can't be that happy of a person after what we've gone through." She crossed her arms and leaned against the table, "But she lost them for good. She might hide herself well, but no one can keep that one from showing."

"Why do you think she does it?" she leaned beside her, "Why do you think she hides?"

"Why do you constantly pick fights? Why am I always buried in wires and diodes?" She flung around a few spare computer parts before looking back to the blanket cocoon on the couch, "It helps make it easier. It helps get her through it."

"What's the plan?" Sarah hopped up to sit on the table.

"Remember what we said that day?" she joined her friend. "We promised we'd stick together no matter what."

"We have, haven't we?"

"It's been seven years, over a third of her life, and in a few years we will have gotten to be with her longer than her parents,"

"So?"

"So we're her family. Don't you think?" Sarah's expression was skeptical, "Don't tell me that you don't want to keep her safe. I know you do. You always keep an eye on her when we go hunting."

"So I want her safe? So what?"

"She's like a sister to me."

"Me too," Sarah was getting annoyed. "How is that supposed to help her?"

She put an arm around the girl beside her, "She still has a family who loves her."

"Love's a bit strong, isn't it?"

She hopped down, "Don't give me that bullshit."

"So we tell her we are sisters?"

"I don't know yet," she took a few steps toward the direction of the couch, "I'll think of something, just follow my lead."

-o0o-

"Hey Kat, whatcha watching?"

I looked up to glimpse a mass of red next to the TV, "Cartoon."

"Mind if we watch it with you?" Great. They said they'd leave me alone, but I should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

"No," I sighed and sat up to give them space to sit. For an hour they didn't say anything, and I was grateful. I didn't want to hear anything, I didn't want to think of anything. I just wanted to watch the girls defeat Mojo Jojo.

"That blonde one reminds me of you a bit," Sarah said with a slight laugh.

I cracked a small smile, "That's Bubbles, she's my favorite."

"The one in the green reminds me of Sarah," Rebecca laughed from beside me.

"Hey!" An arm came across me and punched Rebecca, "Then you're the one in the pink dress."

"Yeah right," Becca scoffed, "I fucking hate pink."

"But you have red hair," Sarah chimed in with a mocking tone.

"It's been dyed."

"Whatever. If I'm one, then you're one too," I saw Sarah's feet appear on the coffee table, "What's this show about anyway?"

"They are three sisters who were made in a lab by that scientist guy. He was trying to make the perfect little girl, but something happened and they have superpowers and stuff." I watched in silence for a minute until the commercial, "And they fight crime."

"So they're like us?" Sarah asked, and I looked to her.

I wiped a stray tear with the blanket I was wrapped in before I spoke, "How?"

She shrugged, "Three sisters fighting crime?"

"We aren't sisters," I corrected her.

"I think we are."

"I think we are, too Kat."

Sisters. Were they my sisters? "Really?" I looked at the both of them and they nodded. A smile broke across my face for a second.

"So your Bubbles," Rebecca pulled the covering from my head, "Alright, what's mine's name?"

"The pink on is Blossom," I felt the happy ring of my normal voice return. It made me feel better. I could pull the mask back up. I could fake happiness again.

"Blossom, I like that."

"What about mine?" Sarah nudged me.

My smile widened, "You're Buttercup."

"There's no fucking way I'm going by-" Rebecca's hand came over and poked Sarah in the side of her head. "Fine," Sarah rolled her eyes and crossed her arms before continuing in an ironic tenor, "Just call me Buttercup then."

"So, we're a family?" I looked at the both of them once more.

I felt their arms hang around my shoulders and give me a shake, "Have been for a while; it's about time we made it official."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for reading and giving this this a chance. :)**

Chapter 3: It's Easier This Way.

I always felt so out of place when I stood in line to get into the leach clubs, but I tried not to show it. That was the key; if I look uncomfortable then they'll think I'm up to something. And if they thought I was up to something then it normally meant we'd have to abandon the mission. At least this time would be easier. I wouldn't be smuggling in any guns, or stakes, or anything massive. I only had the necklace and one silver tipped knife hidden under the dress just at the ribs. I did feel more vulnerable than usual, though. I didn't have layers of leather protecting me like usual, instead I just had a navy moleskin halter dress that I wish would've been longer. My sisters always said it would make things go smoother. If I dress provocatively enough then no one would ask questions about why I was there, and the bouncers wouldn't turn me away. They had a point, but I hated when the people at these places checked me out. They were all scum in my eyes, and I had no interest in bottom-dwellers. I breathed a sigh of relief as the people behind me cut to the front of the line. More time. That was the goal. The more bodies in there when I set off my necklace the more successful the night would be.

"You shouldn't go in there," I turned around to see who had spoken. Standing just behind me was a boy with longish brown hair wearing relatively baggy clothes. He looked completely out of place here.

I pointed to myself as if to as if he'd been talking to me and he nodded. "Why not?" my smile returned to my face.

"Sexy little thing like you, they'll eat you up before you can finish your first drink," his voice was hushed. Why was he smirking? Did he know about the vampires? He didn't look like one of them, but I gave him another look-over to check. He wasn't carrying himself like a leach. I couldn't see any glyph tattoos. He did look cute though, if that was the right word for it. At least better than most of the people who talk to me. "It's dangerous in there."

"You're funny," I let out a small giggle at the thought. The only danger in there will be me in a few minutes, "What's your name?"

"Scud," I didn't like how he was looking around, like someone was watching him or something.

"Like the missile?" I could tell from the second I said it he wouldn't understand. Come on Kat, normal people don't care about weapon systems.

He let out a confused laugh, and it was the most irresistible thing I'd ever heard, "What?"

I explained, "The SS-1 SCUD, developed by the Russians back in the Cold War?" He still looked confused. He looked really good when he was confused. No Kat! You're working. Focus on the job. I glanced at the line; it wouldn't hurt to talk for a bit, right? "So, you said it's dangerous in there?"

"Yeah, you shouldn't go in." What was he looking for? I scanned the surrounding again, but I didn't see anything out of place.

"I'm sure I'll be fine." I smiled at him, before a whistle rang through the street and his head turned. I looked with him, "Looks like you better go, Mr. Missile." He ran of to the man who signaled him. That guy, the signaler, was definitely a vampire, and a scary one at that. I shrugged off the encounter and turned back to the line where I waited. And waited. And waited some more.

When I got to the front the bouncer just waved me in.

"Don't you need to see my ID?" I held up the small piece of plastic.

"You okay, go ahead," he motioned to the door. I walked on in a pout. They never asked to see my ID. It was such a good forgery. Even if I was 22 I still didn't have any real identification, not since we all ran away. Bloss had worked so hard on the card, and my picture was so good, but no one ever cared enough to look.

I only got a few feet into the main room when someone whispered an all too familiar phrase in my ear, "Can I buy you a drink?"

I turned to see who'd said it, a part of me hoping it would be the boy from outside. It wasn't though. It was a tall, dark, and handsome type. Clearly a leach, and from the way the others were looking at him he was some sort of big cheese. "Okay," I forced away my disgust with a wide grin and followed him to the bar, "Strawberry daiquiri." I watched the bartender closely, making sure he didn't put anything extra in the drink. Sometimes they would try, and I would have to feign clumsiness and spill. He slid it over and I could see the glyph tattoo on his wrist, "Thank you."

The vampire put his hand on my hip, "Want to dance?"

I had to resist the natural urge to shudder, and the reflex to beat the guy's fangs in. I swear, my side of the job would be unbearable if it weren't for the free drinks. "Can I finish this first though?" I nodded to the beverage, and he smiled at me. There they are. Fangs. I took a sip, the stirred the slush with my straw, "I'll be quick, I promise."

He nodded as I took a long drink, "So what's your name?"

"You can call me Sugar," I could see him laugh, "What's yours?"

"Vincent," he eyed me as I slurped down the last of the free booze.

"Okay, let's dance!" I grabbed his hand and lead him out to the middle of the room. I hated feeling him on me. I couldn't wait until he was dust, which would be any second now. Just need to get to a good place. I gripped the hilt of my knife and held the necklace up, pushing the button.

There was a bright light.

Then the sound of leaches being ashed and familiars screaming.

I pretended to scream with them, to not draw attention, but the second I saw Bloss's red hair I pulled my knife and started gutting. It was these moments when my smile wasn't fake. I could cut into the very thing that took away my happiness, the very thing that ruined my life. Sure, the familiars were human, but just barely. Their souls were sold, their lives no longer their own. They were bags of blood now, just bodies, and after I was through with them they'd be dead bodies. Once the last of the screamers was silenced we regrouped by the bar.

"That was fun," Cup put the gun back in its holster.

"You should've seen when I light up the place. It was all," I mimed an explosion with my hands, "Poof."

"We can talk about it when we get back," Bloss was at the cash register. "Grab whatever cash you can find and let's go." We followed her directions. Sure, looting corpses wasn't very ethical. But once you got over that fact it was simple. We were just trying to survive, and money was a necessary evil. It wasn't like we could keep normal jobs. And we were doing the world a service; we deserved some kind of income.

After we were through with collecting our paycheck we headed for the car, "Bubbles," I caught the keys with one hand, "drive."

-o0o-

"What are you going to buy with your share Bloss?" Sarah was counting her share of the take and sitting at our makeshift dinner table, which was still cluttered with guns.

"Nothing yet," she tied a rubber band around her bundle and shook it at us, "Saving up for something big."

"What about you, Bubbs?" she looked over to me as I crouched on the floor.

"A new pair of shoes," I smiled up at her as I stood up. "I was thinking I could coat some steel toed boots in silver, that could be fun," I kicked at the air, "Get to kick the shit out of them."

"Would you do that to mine, too?" Of course she'd want some too. It was the one thing we really had in common, the desire to inflict as much pain as possible on those creatures.

I nodded, "Of course." I sat down and continued to count my cash, but my thoughts kept slipping to Scud. I wonder what he was doing with those vampires. He seemed totally harmless though; probably just buying drugs or something like that. Leaches always had their hands in the controlled substances game. He must've been the first person to call me sexy and get away with it since my last boyfriend.

"You seem extra smiley tonight," Bloss plopped down on the couch and nudged my back with her bare foot.

"Isn't she always like that?"

"Yeah, but normally she's complaining about not getting to kill more vamps," I looked back at her and scowled. "So what's up, sis?"

I turned back to my money and picked up the next bundle, "I met a cute boy."

"Not this again," I looked to Sarah just as she rolled her eyes.

"You know the rule," I hated when she got her motherly tone, "No more dating."

I turned to face her, sitting on my knees, "That's not fair, you have Morgan. And Cup's got Lydia." Her stern face didn't let up, "Why can't I have someone?"

"It isn't safe."

I narrowed my eyes, "Hypocrite."

"Morgan is a police officer, he can handle himself. And Lydia—"

"Lydia already knows about all of this stuff," Sarah interjected. "Besides, the last guy you dated turned out to be a total dick-face." I had to agree with her there. But it still upset me. Sometimes they'd leave me here alone, or Lydia would come over, and I'd just feel so alone. All I had were my sisters and my thirst for revenge. Was it so wrong to want something else? Something fun that didn't involve murdering people?

She reached out her hand and patted my head, "It'll be easier this way, we promise."

"Fine, I'll let it go," I huffed, "But I get to choose what we eat all week."

"If it'll make you shut up about it," Sarah scolded from her pile.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Into the Lion's Den

Blossom turned around to face me in the back seat. I had the dwindling remainder of a joint between my lips and one of our gadgets aimed at a well-known safe house, trying to pick up chatter. I hated this part of the job. I was always the one stuck listening because I was the only one who could understand the languages. The only positive was they basically let me run the show. That was nice. "What are they saying?"

"They are scared." I listened for a bit longer, "They think that it was the Daywalker the other night. He's been sighted nearby, and they are sure it was him."

"I don't know if I should be glad, or offended," Cup took a large bite from her sandwich. That wasn't all that I heard, though. They were moving everyone to a building in an attempt to prevent more losses.

I wrote the address down on an old receipt, "A big group of them will be here tomorrow night. They think it's impenetrable."

Blossom snatched the paper from my hand, "I'll be the judge of that."

I took the headphones off and put the contraption back in its bag, "Should we drive by it, get a scope on things?"

"Probably a good idea," Bloss started the engine, "Maybe see if I can find the schematics of the building tonight."

"They won't even know what hit 'em."

-o0o-

The next day we went through our usual pre-hunt ritual. Blossom had found a blueprint to the building and designed a plan of attack that would allow us to take the building in a matter of minutes if everything worked out. Once our jobs were memorized we got ready and I couldn't have been more relieved when I put on my jeans and tank top. It was nice not to have to be going to a club, and instead hit them where it hurt. Pow, right in the safe house. We each had our own personal arsenals to put on including the nifty UV necklaces, and now Cup and I had the addition of silver-toed boots. I stuffed my cigarette case filled with joints into the glove box and took my seat in the back. The quiet of the ride was a blessing; it was just us and our thoughts. Complete focus.

"Alright," Blossom stepped out of the car and we joined her, "You two remember what we're doing?"

We nodded. "Enter from the roof into the air ducts," Cup stated.

I recited my route, "Right, right, left, down, right, closet."

Cup repeated hers, "Left, down, right, and follow it until the end of the line. Drop through the ceiling into the kitchen."

"Good," she held up the pendant, "Only use your necklaces as a last resort." We nodded and then the three of us did our checks. Everything was in place, muscles were stretched, ready to go. "Meet back here when you're done, keys will be here," she set them on top of the front left tire, "whoever get's here first start it up, turn on the lights, and be ready to get out of here."

It wasn't difficult to get to the top of the building. The adjacent roof was a few stories taller, which made zip lining over all the more effortless. The opening to the vent was right where the blueprint said it would be. The plan was jumping off without a hitch.

Cup and I removed the cover to the vent. The three of us peered in for a few seconds. I reviewed the plan, just like they were doing. "Let's do this!"

I was the last on to go in since I had the shortest distance to cover. I squeezed in and was on my way. I crawled through the vent silently, following the directions, keeping with the plan. I was cautious. I was methodical. I was in my element. When I reached the closet I was supposed to drop into I did a quick scan through the slats in the vent. Clear. I meticulously removed the vent cover. I couldn't drop it. I couldn't give away my position. I set it down on a ledge before lowering myself into the small room.

Step one, done.

Step two would be much more difficult.

I lifted one of my guns up and took a deep breath. One the other side of this door was a large room. Large rooms at the tops of buildings usually meant something, and that something would certainly not be happy to see me. I listened at the door. Voices. No telling how many, but definitely more than three. I grabbed another gun, standing in front of the door. These things killed my parents. These things ruined my life. These things were going to die. And I was going to be the one killing them.

A smile crept up my lips just before I kicked the door down. Screams and hisses and shots. The room was filled, but that didn't matter to me. I just kept on pulling those triggers. One rushed at me, but I kicked it away. I couldn't help my smile when I saw how well the boots worked. I couldn't help how good I felt. Dust and ash filled the room as I worked my way through, replacing cartridges every minute.

Once the room was cleared I made my way down the hallway, taking out any and everyone I saw. That was my job.

And I am really good at my job.

-o0o-

I wasn't surprised when I was the first to the car. I grabbed the keys and unlocked the doors, then took a seat in the drivers seat. The car roared to life as I flicked on the headlights and the switch for the cabin lights. It was so bright it hurt my eyes. I groped for the glove box and pulled out my sunglasses and silver case. I slid on the glasses as I opened the case.

"Reward time," I stuck a joint in my mouth and fired it up. The sweet taste filled my mouth just as the passenger side door opened. It was Sarah. She flicked off the cabin UV and grabbed the spliff from my lips. It looked like she was bleeding so I didn't nag her. Once she'd taken a few puffs she handed it back to me and we waited.

A few minutes later the back door opened and two people jumped in.

Sarah looked annoyed as she stared into the back seat, "Who the fuck's that?"

"Just go!" Blossom yelled. In the distance we could hear yelling and the sounds of engines starting.

"Fine. Bub, hit it." I slammed on the gas and sped down the street. The streets were slick, but that didn't matter. We needed distance. We needed speed. After we got a few miles away, and my victory treat was properly smoked, I tossed the roach out the window. Cup turned around again, "Now tell us who he is."

"The Daywalker," I took a quick glance to the rearview mirror and saw the large man sitting beside her.

"Call me Blade." His tone was deep. As my eyes darted to the mirror to examine him I noticed something else.

"They're tailing us," I checked the mirrors again. "I'll lose 'em." I pushed further down on the gas pedal. There was a reason why I was the getaway driver. I'd been the getaway driver since I could reach the pedals, and it was probably the most useful thing I had going for me. The only irony was in the fact that I'd never actually gotten my license in any of the countries we'd gone to.

"Quick, left down the alley," the man spoke and I followed his directions. There was something in his voice that I trusted. Call it a gut feeling; my guts were never wrong. "Turn here."

After a heated twenty minutes of sharp turns and expert maneuvering they were out of my sight, "We lost them."

Blossom patted my shoulder, "Way to go, Bubbs!" I smiled back at her through the mirror. It had been a long time since we had a good car chase. I forgot how fun they were.

As I smiled I remembered that we weren't alone in the car, "Where are we taking him?"

"Take the next left," he started to direct me. We weaved through small streets and shady looking neighborhoods. Every time I looked back at him his eyes were fixed on Sarah. I couldn't figure out why until he told me to stop in front of a large warehouse not dissimilar from our home. He opened the door and stood at my window, "Your friend here is bit. I can smell it." I looked at Cup. She was bleeding; she turned off the UV light. It was true. I looked back at him, "I can help."

"Fuck that," Sarah spit from her seat, "I'm not letting a leach help me, even if he can walk in sunlight."

"Cup!" I looked at her then back to Blossom then back to her, "You can't turn into one of those _things_."

She looked at Blade who was now opening a large roller door, "Whatever, but I'm not saying thank you."

He motioned for me to pull in, and I carefully inched into the lion's den.

"You trust him?" I looked at Sarah; she was more frightened than I'd ever seen her.

"He had my back in there," Blossom's hand appeared on her shoulder.

I tapped the gun at my hip, "If not we can always take care of it."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Enemy of My Enemy

When Blade helped our Buttercup out of the car I pulled another joint from my case. In the light I could see her wound more clearly. She'd been bit. I could feel the worry spread to my stomach and I hastily lit up.

Blossom stood beside him, "You can save her? Make sure she doesn't become one of them?"

"Yes," he took a few steps before calling out into the building, "Kid, get over here and help me, a girl's been bit." He practically ran her into another room. All I could do is watch. It was like I was frozen to the spot that moment. The only thing that pulled me out of it was Bloss leaning against the hood of the car. I was on autopilot as I joined her. I knew she was just as worried as I was; she always tapped her fingers when something was bothering her. It was her tell. I puffed away on my spliff hastily; that was my tell. If I was making like a chimney then it meant only one thing, something bad had happened. We all had our tells.

I offered her a smoke, knowing she wouldn't accept, not at a time like this, "What happened in there?"

"Ran into some snags," she cracked her neck, "You?"

I shrugged and pushed off the car, "There were more of them than you thought there would be, but it didn't make any difference."

"Been a while since a good chase," her smile was weak. This is what we did when bad things happened; we acted like they weren't happening.

I couldn't stop myself from pacing in front of her, if only slightly. I spoke from my small steps, "How'd I do?"

"Good, just like always."

I looked in the direction Blade had taken her and took a step, "Shouldn't we go be with her?"

"Wait," she grabbed my arm, "She won't want us to see her like that."

"They'll have footage of us now," I changed the subject again. Don't talk about it. Just talk about something else.

"Nope." "Blew up their security hub, so unless they can read through charred hard drives then I think we'll be fine."

"That's a relief," my words were hollow. Neither of us could feel relief right now. Not even if I smoked all the chronic in a thousand mile radius. Speaking of, time for a new one. I tossed the end on the ground and got into my next one. I'd rolled them thinking I'd need to unwind, but not like this. I couldn't think of anything more to talk about. All I could think was I wanted to be there for my sister, but Bloss was right. She wouldn't want us to see her like that; she'd probably be mad enough that we saw Blade carry her. As my steps quickened my eyes started to scan the building. So this was where the big bad wolf lived? This is what they were all afraid of. I broke off from my line and started to wander deeper into the rabbit hole.

"What are you doing?" her voice was hushed, "Get back over here!"

"Thought you said you trusted him?" I kept on walking. What was he going to do? Save my sister but kill me for looking around his house? Unlikely.

"Doesn't mean we should snoop around."

She followed me up some stairs, "You're not curious at all?" It took a few seconds to find what appeared to be a workstation. Bunches of wires and circuit boards. Stuff I didn't care for in the slightest. I looked to Blossom, after all this was her field.

She picked up a tangled pile of colored wires, "This place is a total mess." We looked at each other for a moment and in that moment, with our faces skeptical and grossed out, we let out our worries. Our laughter was muffled by our hands, but still healing. The man the monsters were afraid of was a total slob. How could anyone get anything done in this place? We continued to look around until I found something.

"Oh, he has one of these things!" I picked up the welding helmet. Bloss never let me play with her stuff, said I would break something, but from the look on her face she didn't care. I searched the area and found a pair of gloves, which I put on, and then the soldering tool. I slid on the mask and held up the machine up, taking classic villain stance. I couldn't see anything with the thing on. I hope this would work. I spoke in a loud and evil voice, "I am the scary welding monster of doom! Bow before me or perish!" When I hear Bloss laughing I knew I was doing it right. I laughed with her, only I practiced my evil laugh.

A voice came out of nowhere, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" We froze. I couldn't see anything, all I could hear was the man's voice, "Who the fuck do you think you are, touching my stuff?"

I lowered my arms and faced the direction of the man, my voice unsure, "The scary welding monster of doom?"

There was a long period of silence until Bloss spoke. "It's our sister in there," I felt her take the tool from my hand, "We'll put everything back where we found it."

I quickly took off the helmet and gloves. I tried to set them down just the way I'd found them. See, no harm done. Nothing broken. I turned to the speaker. "Hey, I know you!" I couldn't keep the grin from my face, "You're that boy from the other night."

"This is the guy?" Blossom's eyes were a combination of concern and comedy, "Seriously?"

"He was all trying to protect me. Said, 'Don't go in there. It's dangerous.'" She continued to look at me skeptically, "What? I thought it was cute."

She rolled her eyes with a headshake, "What are we going to do with you?"

"I can think of a few things," when we looked to the man he was looking at me with a smirk on his face. Was that him hitting on me?

Blossom intervened, "That's my sister you're talking about, boy."

Blade stepped in, "She should stay here until morning." He had a strange way of walking that I could only assume came with being so legendary. I wonder if I'll ever get to walk like that? His voice boomed again, "You can pick her up then."

"We aren't leaving her here."

"Then stay," he turned to Scud, "Don't you have something to be doing?" Without a word he scurried off. I couldn't help but look at him as he left. Katarina, endlessly a sucker for the bad guy. "How long have you been operating?"

"Almost ten years."

"When did you pick up this one?" he pointed at me.

"She's been with us from the beginning."

He laughed, "She can't be older that twenty."

I dropped the stub of my joint on the ground, "I'm twenty-two, thank you very much."

"She handles herself just fine," Blossom was always defending me.

"And you just decided to hunt vampires one day?"

"Our families were all killed by them," when she spoke I looked at the ground. I didn't want to show weakness, not to the Daywalker, "That's how we met, in an orphanage."

"There was a hive at the top of that building that I had planned to hit," I couldn't tell if he was staring at us through his glasses or not, "By now they'll have moved."

"Oh, they aren't going anywhere," I smiled as I took a seat at the workbench I was standing next to. His head turned slightly to face me. I could only assume that meant he wanted an explanation, "While you three were doing, well whatever it was that you were doing, I was cleaning house."

"My Intel said there were supposed to be over a hundred suck-heads up there."

I nodded with a smile, "Just a bit of light dusting."

Bloss smiled with me, "She handles herself just fine."

For the next few minutes you could hear a pin drop. No doubt he was sizing us up and trying to figure out what to do. I could see in my peripheral that Bloss had a hand over one of her knives. I thought she trusted the guy? I followed her lead and casually put my hand on one of my own. "The building is secure, you'll be safe here until morning. I'll see you then."

When he left the room we relaxed. I looked at her, "Well, he seems nice."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: V is for Victory

"How are you feeling?" we stood just inside the door of Buttercup's holding room. I hated that she'd been bit. I hated that we had to use the Daywalker for help. I hated seeing the guy my sister's didn't want me to date. I hated just about all of it. But if you looked at me then you wouldn't be able to tell. You'd just see a happy, albeit tired, girl. That's what I always seemed to look like to other people, even if it wasn't true. It kept me safe, and I needed to keep myself safe.

Cup rolled over in her bed, "Not good."

Blade appeared unexpectedly, "I have seen this before." I couldn't help but wonder how many people he had seen bitten, or how many had made it out alive, "She should be fine."

Blossom spoke for all of us, "Thanks, we owe you one."

"We need to talk." Only seconds after his words were spoken they were off. Blossom always had it the hardest; she always had to be in charge. I wonder if she ever gets tired of it? Does she ever just want a day off, a day to not have to worry about her two surrogate sisters? Or is she fine like this? Maybe she'd made of harder stuff than Cup and me?

"So you're really all better?" I eyed Cup's wound. It was still fresh, but she didn't seem to be having any problem with the sunlight.

"Guess so," she swung her legs off the bed and stood up facing the window, "How was sleeping in the bat cave?"

I shrugged even though she couldn't see me, "Uncomfortable and boring." We walked out to the main room, and off in the distance Blade and Bloss were talking.

"What do you think they're talking about over there?" We both focused in on them.

"I'm Blade," I began to mimic their voices while pantomiming them through my hands, "I'm a stone cold badass who eats vampires for breakfast. Look how big my muscles are." My voice turned to a higher pitch, "I'm Blossom, leader of a team of super adorable leach hunters. Don't you like my hair?" Cup stifled a laugh, "You're right, I do like your hair. Who does it?" I switched from deep to girly pitches, "Only the most talented hands get to touch my hair, of course." When I continued I could see Scud close by at his workbench listening, "You need a pair of sunglasses, that way you can look awesome like me." Octave change, "You're right! Where did you get yours?" Super deep voice, "If I tell you that I'll have to kill you."

I could feel Cup's hand on my shoulder, "Stop, stop, it's too much."

"So you three hunt suck-heads too?" We both looked over to Scud. Even if he wasn't tactful, he was still nice to look at. I guess there was just something about him that I couldn't put my finger on, and I wanted to find out what that was. And he knew about vampires too, so they couldn't feed me their normal line about how I'd have to keep the secret.

"We do," I strolled over to him, ignoring Buttercup's glare, "and you do too, right?" Time to turn on the old Bubbles charm.

"I help B with his weapons," I slid my hand across his back and rested it on his shoulder.

"Working with the Daywalker," I leaned my head in, "You must be good at what you do."

"I'm good at a lot of things," his own hand wrapped around my waist, "What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't," I smiled at him, "But you can call me Bubbles."

"Seriously?" I nodded, "Like the cartoon?"

I shrugged, "I'm still going to call you Mr. Missile if you don't mind."

"Call me whatever you want," I had to admit that whatever strange and unexplained power I had over men was useful in the field, but with Scud things felt a bit more within reach.

I smiled at him, "I like that." This wasn't some in I was trying to get within the vampire hierarchy, this was different. This was boredom and hormones. This was something just for fun.

-o0o-

Blossom plopped down next to Cup at the table, "So that boy of Blade's is the same guy Bubs was talking about the other night."

"That makes so much more sense now," she looked over at me, "You were pretty friendly with him yesterday."

I didn't fight the blush that spread over my face, "I don't know, there's just something about him that I like. Could be fun, you know?"

"He does know about vamps, Bloss." It was weird and refreshing to have Cup defend me.

Blossom chewed her bite of food, "Only because he's working with one." Cup nodded in agreement. I should have known our alliance would be short-lived.

"But why is he working with the Daywalker?" I set down my fork, "He has to have a reason and Blade has to have a reason to keep him around, right?"

"I guess," I could see both of them consider what I'd said. This might actually work. I might actually get to have something for a change.

I laced my hands together and begged, "Please, just let me have this one you guys?"

"It's still dangerous."

I didn't let up, "It'll always be dangerous, at least this one won't think I'm insane."

"She's got a point there, Bloss."

There was a sharp look shared between them, "Fine, fine!" She pointed her fork at me, "But you go on birth control today."

"Deal," I went back to my food.

"And no telling him how the necklaces work," she added, jabbing the pronged utensil in my direction again.

"I wouldn't be able to if I tried, sis." I took another bite and spoke to her with my mouth full, "You know I don't get computer stuff."

This time Cup spoke, "And you don't tell him anything about us, is that clear?"

I smiled at them, "Crystal."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: We're All Doing What We Can

"Are you finished in here yet?" We both looked up to see Blossom standing in the doorway of Cup's room. I had finished cleaning my own room about an hour before; it was normally pretty clean to begin with, but Cup's was always a pit of destruction. I was still trying to pick up the food wrappers and I'd been at it for a half hour solid. I didn't mind though. It was better than anything else Blossom would have me do instead.

"I don't see why we have to clean everything, Bloss," she threw the large pile of dirty clothes into a hamper, "I don't want that guy in my room, even if he did save my life."

"You saw how disgusting Blade's place was," she turned to go back to whatever task she'd managed to think was a necessity now, "Do you want him to come over and think the same thing?"

I finished cleaning off the desk, "All of our stuff is organized, though."

"Still," she raised her hands, "I mean this is the Daywalker we're talking about." And then she was gone.

"I haven't seen her like this since," I started on her dresser.

She finished my thought, "Since we first got here."

"Exactly." Blossom was always a neat freak; she had been since we lived in the group home. I hated it. I kept my things clean, but not as clean as she always seemed to want them. It was exhausting. I was exhausted. All of this 'housework' coupled with last week's horror fest with Sarah being bitten had me completely drained.

My sister laughed, "It's probably best to just try to appease her."

My eyelids fell slightly when I looked back at her, "And stay out of her way." That was the plan, get everything done and stay out of her way. Maybe I'd go to the roof? I hadn't been up there since last year. It would be nice to clear my head and deal with some of the nagging thoughts that had been plaguing me silently for the last week.

Once we finished her room I fished out a large sweater, my most comfortable slippers, my headphones, and my bong bag from my room. This would keep me busy while the leech was here. I agreed with Cup about the whole he-gives-me-the-heebie-jeebies thing, and I always figured it was better to just avoid that sort of conflict rather than endure it. I grabbed a blanket and made my way out of my room.

"Hey Bloss?" I looked down to the now pristine warehouse floor. When she looked up at me I continued, "I'm going to get some fresh air while Blade is here."

"Fine, whatever," she turned back to her computer as she waved me off, "Just hurry if you don't want to see him, he should be here any minute."

I looked over at Cup, who was standing in her doorway looking as annoyed as ever that we'd be having a guest, "What is he doing coming here anyway?"

She shrugged, "Bloss said he needs our help, or something."

I nodded as I swung the heavily padded bag over my shoulder along with the blanket.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"Nope," I smiled down at her from several rungs up the ladder, "I could use some alone time." She gave a quick nod and let me be. I was glad. I climbed up and up until I unbolted and opened the hatch to outside. It was nice up here, just like I remembered. The sun was taking the final stages of its decent, and the sky filled up with color. It had been a long time since I'd seen a sunset. I forgot how beautiful they could be, so much more beautiful than the darkness I'd grown accustomed to. I found a clean spot and set my bag down before wrapping myself in the blanket.

I slid the headphones over my ears and pressed play. Radiohead. OK Computer. That was what I needed. I needed to just relax and think things out. Just for a while. Recharge the batteries. I pulled out the percolated bong, water bottle, and my stash from the bag before setting myself up, nodding to the music as I went. Done. Perfect. I grabbed the lighter from the pocket of my sweatpants and lit it up, inhaling as deeply as my lungs allowed. This is what I needed. This is what I needed. I needed the bright sky. I needed the quiet. I needed to let down the wall for just a bit.

I almost lost Sarah. We almost lost Sarah. Where would we be then? We'd be ruined. It needed to be the three of us. If one of us fell, then we all fell. That's just the way it was. I should've been there to help her. I should've made sure she was okay. At least Blade saved her, even if he was one of them.

As I heard a car pull up far below I finished off the bowl and decided to figure out what had really been bothering me. After all this time, after the piles of vampire ash provided by my efforts, it didn't feel like enough. They were still strong; the leech problem seemed to just be getting worse. It had been almost ten years since my parent's death. I thought I would feel better by now. I thought that maybe I'd have made enough of a dent to feel like I'd avenged them in some way. There was no longstanding accomplishment in it for me yet. The initial seconds after I'd dust one of them, maybe even the whole night if I was lucky, I'd feel good about it. I'd feel like I was making a difference. I'd feel like maybe they were looking down at me and they were proud.

But it never stuck. I'd wake up and need more. I don't think it'll ever be enough, even if we wipe them out. I'll just be stuck this unhappy for the rest of my life, forced to pretend forever. Maybe they weren't even up there in the first place? Maybe when you die that's it? Maybe your heart stops and your brain shuts down and that's all she wrote? Maybe that's why I'll never feel it? I would've cried if I could have, but I think over the years I'd spent every last tear on it. All those sleepless days sobbing into my pillow as silently as I could meant I had nothing left to give. All I had were my surrogate sisters and my hatred for those things. The hatred and the sisterhood.

The sun was gone now, leaving a wreath of light where it had once been. I refilled the bowl and went back to stoning myself into oblivion, leaving no room for those thoughts. They're up there. They still exist, and when all of this is done I'll get to see them again. I'll get to see their faces and I'll remember and we will get to spend that eternity together just like we were supposed to. And Sarah's family will be there, and so will Rebecca's. We'll stick together and we will have everyone back. It had to happen.

I snapped out of my thoughts when the hatch opened a few yards behind me, "Getting started without me?"

I looked back and saw Scud. Great. The last thing I wanted to see when I was trying to work through something. I slid on my happy face as I pulled off the headphones, "I didn't know you were coming too."

He sat down beside me, close enough so that our arms brushed each other, "Oh baby, I'm full of surprises."

I couldn't help but laugh at his overt cheesiness as I packed a new bowl. Of course he'd want to come with Blade. I handed him the bong and my lighter, only subtly shaking my head, "Here." As he took his hit I felt a small sting of awkwardness. It had been a while since I'd been legitimately interested in someone, and I'd never really talked to anyone else who knew about the whole vampire thing. I went with the first thing that popped into my mind, "So, what got you into the war?"

He coughed slightly, "War?"

"Against the leeches?"

I watched as he processed the information, "Oh, that. I was camping a few years ago, brought these two honeys back to my tent." Awesome, of course he'd be some sort of player, way to go Kat. Way to go. You can really pick them. He had a hint of laughter in his voice; "They turned out to be vamps, ripped me up pretty good. I'd be dead now if it wasn't for B coming in and saving me. Been with him ever since." I nodded as I leaned back on my hands. He went back to work on clearing the bowl. All guys were like that right? Relatively sleazy? Guess I'd better just see how this goes, considering the utter lack of options. He let out a large puff of smoke and turned slightly in my direction, "What about you?"

Shit. That was poor planning on my part. It's only common courtesy to return questions, right? Damnit Kat. I shrugged; he'll have to find out eventually, right? I grabbed the bong to refill as I spoke, "When I was twelve my parents were killed by some leeches." He was quiet. Way too quiet. I continued, "It was in our house, I was hiding under the bed when it happened. When I went to the orphanage I met up with Blossom and Cup, and we've been doing this pretty much ever since."

"Shit."

"Yeah," I held the lighter to the bud and breathed in. I couldn't remember their faces, but I could remember their screams like it had just happened, like it was still happening. It was still happening. It was never going to stop. I let the breath out and waited for a second before I spoke, "So you're his tech-guy?"

"Fuck yeah, I'm the best there is." I withheld my laugh. There was no way he was as good as Blossom. No way. "What do you do? Besides look sexy as hell?"

I couldn't keep the giggle in, "Come on, I look horrible today, I'm wearing my ultra-relaxation sweats."

"So?" I felt his hand slid across my back and around my waist. That did feel nice, just to be touched by someone who I wasn't about to kill.

I shook my head, still smiling, "I do what I can to help the cause."

"Like?" his face was closer now.

I squirmed slightly, "Well, I'm fluent in a few languages so that comes in handy. And I'm the getaway driver, I guess. I dabble in making explosives, making things go boom, but we never really need them. It's good to know though. And I also do the infiltrating, like when you saw me at that club, but that's only because they think I look harmless."

"So are you, you know, harmless?" He was trying too hard, but the more that he persisted the more I found it strangely charming.

My grin turned mischievous, "Oh, I am far from harmless."


End file.
